Guillermo del Toro, winner of the award for best director for "The Shape of Water" celebrates in the audience at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Cold War fantasy film “The Shape of Water” is the winner of the best picture Academy Award.

Director Guillermo del Toro’s film has been considered one of the front-runners for the evening’s top honor. It received a leading 13 nominations for this year’s Oscars, and won four Oscars on Sunday night.

It stars Sally Hawkins as a mute janitor who falls in love with an aquatic creature kept captive in a government lab.

Del Toro also won for best director. He dedicated the win to young filmmakers around the world.

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